Arizona Ranger
by Mrs. Sherlock Holmes
Summary: Sunny Smiles is all alone in the Mojave after Goodsprings is destroyed by Joe Cobb and his band of cutthroat Powder Gangers. One lonely night, by a campfire on the dusty trail she meets NCR Veteran Ranger Alec Mason from Arizona who takes her under his wing and shows her that life goes on, even in the Wasteland.
1. Chapter 1

Sunny Smiles sat huddled on the dusty ground in front of a small campfire and smoothed a hand over her dog's grey and black fur, enjoying the warmth it gave her fingers. Cheyenne's tongue lolled out of the side of her mouth and she closed her eyes in contentment, angling her head slightly towards her owner's touch. Sunny envied the animal's sense of blissful serenity, a feeling she could not hope to experience again herself for a long time to come. She had lost everything she had ever known, her whole way of life, when the Powder Gangers came to Goodsprings.

A split log of radiation blasted wood burned through the middle and shifted in the concrete block lined fire ring, sending a shower of tiny glowing embers dancing into the night air. Sunny watched them swirl upwards and die one by one against the dark sky. She shivered even though the fire was warm, feeling a deep sense of loneliness settle into her chest. The outlaw Joe Cobb and his band of cutthroats had taken over the town and killed everyone who had resisted. Sunny had fought bravely and watched as her whole community, the only family she had even known, had been picked off one by one. Only when everyone else had fallen and it was clear that the situation was absolutely hopeless had she fled for her life with Cheyenne.

Now she sat alone in the dark with nowhere to turn and no one to trust. Maybe she should have stayed and made an end to it all. The Mojave would likely finish her off soon anyway. Sunny was an experienced hunter, but she had never strayed far from Goodsprings, and she had heard tales of bigger and more ferocious monsters than the geckos she was used to fighting. She didn't suppose she would last very long out here in the wide wasteland.

She lay down on her bedroll and drifted off to sleep with Cheyenne's warm body curled at her back and the soft, silky voice of Mr. New Vegas murmuring in her ear from her pipboy.

Cheyenne's low growl woke Sunny several hours later into the night. She reached for her rifle and looked sharply around her. The fire had burned low and was barely giving off enough light to see around the campsite. Nothing moved that Sunny could see and the only sound was the soft playing of a new song on Radio New Vegas.

"_**In the town of Agua Fria rode a stranger one fine day…" **_

The singer crooned, and out of the darkness two ovals of red light flashed for a moment on the other side of Sunny's fire ring. A man in a long black trench coat and was standing there, and she could now see that his eyes were lit red by the goggled helmet he wore. He removed it now, presenting a much less alarming figure with it off.

"_**Hardly spoke to folks around him, didn't have too much to say…"**_

He was tall and broad of shoulder with skin the color of mahogany and a scraggly black goatee curling around his chin. He wore heavy soled boots caked with the dust of many roads, and on his back he carried a long, scoped .50 caliber sniper rifle.

"_**No one dared to ask his business, no one dared to make a slip…"**_

But above all else, the most striking thing about the stranger was the massive revolver slung low on his hip. It hung in its leather holster as though it carried the weight of many departed souls, and the metal seemed to give off an unearthly glow in the light of the dying fire.

"_**The stranger there among them had a big iron on his hip." **_

The man sat down on a cinder block and pulled off one dark leather glove before moving one of the last crumbling pieces of wood Sunny had collected onto the dying fire. His hands were large and scarred all over. With a note of apology in his ocean deep voice he spoke to her.

"I hope I didn't frighten you miss," He explained "but I saw your fire and when I came over to investigate I saw that you were alone." He unslung his rifle and carefully laid it on the ground before stretching his legs out with a sigh. "I would appreciate you letting me rest my weary feet for a short while."

Sunny did not say anything, still unsure what to make of this strange man, and feeling more than a little uncomfortable holding a simple varmint rifle to compete with such impressive weaponry if a fight was coming.

"My name is Mason, I'm a Ranger with the NCR."

At the mention of the NCR and the rangers Sunny relaxed a little. She then recognized the bear patch on the stranger's shoulder and remembered that she had heard about the distinctive veteran ranger helmet with its red glowing goggles.

"I'm Sunny Smiles" she said softly "and this is Cheyenne."

"It's nice to meet you Sunny." The ranger rolled his head around, stretching his neck and wincing a little as he eased his muscles. He pulled a mess kit from his pack and motioned to the fire with it. "May I?"

Sunny nodded and watched as he proceeded to open a can of pork and beans and poured it into a small pan to heat. Cheyenne, apparently feeling that the stranger must be friendly if he had food, walked over and placed her head on his knee while he cooked his meal. The ranger alternately scratched Cheyenne under the chin while stirring his beans, occasionally picking out small pieces of bacon and feeding them to the dog.

"What brings you out here in the Mojave alone Sunny? Don't you have a home?"

"I did…" She began, and through tears and more than a few sobs, she told him about Goodsprings.

He listened silently until she had finished and offered no apologies or condolences, just sat and ate his beans and looked thoughtful. Then, after several minutes he spoke.

"I normally wouldn't suggest this, because I don't need or want anyone tagging along with me. Veteran Rangers work alone out here. That's the way it is, and that's how we like it." He finished off his meal and let Cheyenne lick the pan. "But the way I see it, you need some direction and I can't stop to help you find it so the only real solution is for you to come with me until my mission is done, then I will take you to Camp Golf where you can be safe until you figure out what you want to do with yourself."

He didn't say this in a kind manner, nor did he say it with any pity, he simply stated facts and made an offer. Sunny considered and decided that she didn't have any better ideas. Then she replied in the only way she could.

"What's the mission?"


	2. Chapter 2

_**Hi guys and gals! A little disclaimer for this chapter. References and suggestions towards physical abuse, prostitution, and rape in this chapter only. No actual rape occurring. Our heroes just use it as a distraction tactic to fool the bad guys. If you are sensitive to these items please skip this chapter. Thank you, and I hope your spurs go jingle jangle jingle. **_

Sunny lay flat behind some dry brush at the top of the rocky ridge that overlooked the NCR Correctional Facility. Peering through binoculars she could see Powder Ganger snipers in each of the six guard towers and many others milling around on the ground inside the razor wire topped fence. There was only one way in, through a double gate and a small building, likely packed with more of the lowlife criminals. Sunny didn't see how they were going to get inside alive.

Ranger Mason told her that his primary mission was to put down the rebellion in the correctional facility. All of the NCR guards were presumed dead inside following the prisoner revolt, and Sunny didn't understand why they didn't just blow the place up, but Mason insisted that they needed to get inside the facility to secure it. They could counter-snipe the tower guards, but that would still leave a large number of bad guys in the cell blocks.

"What about sneaking in?" Sunny whispered to Mason, who was lying in the dust next to her, peering through the scope on his rifle. He grunted quietly "That fence looks pretty solid." He said, scanning the compound "Don't see how we would get past the asshole down there at the gate either."

"What if we could convince them to let us in?" she said, a plan beginning to form in her head.

_**This. **_

(Mason thought to himself)

_**Is a terrible idea. **_

He had turned his coat inside out so that the ranger patches didn't show, had swapped his helmet for a grungy cowboy hat they scavenged from a rusted out camping trailer by the road, and now he was walking right up to the main gate of the correctional facility in full view of the guards. It was dark outside, but that wouldn't give them any real cover once bullets started flying. Mason carried one end of a rotting rope, and trailing behind on the other end was Sunny, her hands tied together and the front of her leather armor unzipped to a provocative level. Her hair was pulled loose and dirt was smeared across her face. As they walked, she tripped on a rock and Mason yanked hard on the rope with a curse, kicking more dust at her.

Dawes watched the approaching figures with wary interest. Two grubby tramps didn't pose much of a threat, but he wasn't an idiot either. He unholstered his .357 magnum and spun the chamber for dramatic effect.

"Well look at you walking in here like you're one of us." He said as Mason came to a stop in front of the main gate. "Don't you know this is Powder Ganger territory?"

"I don't really care whose territory it is." Mason said with a dismissive grunt, "I'm here for business and it don't matter to me who I do business with."

Dawes had gotten a closer look at Sunny now and his eyes were mostly focused on her partially exposed cleavage.

"Exactly what kind of business is that old man?" he asked, licking his dry lips.

"Well now, my daughter here…" he gave her a hard slap on the ass, even though he was cringing internally at the action. "is a very talented girl." He gripped her jaw in his hand and turned her towards Dawes so he could see face. "Her services are also very reasonably priced by yours truly at 50 caps a turn."

Dawes might have felt a little sleezy about the man selling his daughter as a prostitute if he had actually thought she was his daughter, but that was obviously not the case. Firstly, they weren't possibly far enough apart in age. Second, the girl was Latina and the man was black like Dawes, but most importantly he knew the girl. She was that little sniper bitch from Goodsprings who had gotten away from Joe Cobb. Oh, the boys were going to love this. He didn't know how this dirty bastard had caught her, but he wasn't about to let him know that his goods were more valuable than he realized.

"50!" he laughed "She's not worth 5."

"Oh, I promise you she's worth every single cap. Especially to a group of men who have been in lockup like yourselves, but I'll tell you what. We'll give you a group discount." He grinned is a salacious manner and leaned forward to whisper to Dawes. "500 caps for unlimited access for 24 hours. All you can grab, slap, lick…etc."

Dawes was almost drooling now, but he tried to play it cool. He stepped up and ran a finger down Sunny's dirty cheek. "Hey there girlie. You here to party with the Powder Gangers?"

Sunny shuddered and whimpered while Dawes laughed out loud. Oh yeah, this was going to be good.

"I'll have to check with the boss." He gave one last leer at Sunny and adjusted the crotch of his pants to accommodate his growing erection.

"You wait here." He turned and entered the building, locking the door behind him.

Mason pulled Sunny in roughly to his chest, and began whispering furiously in her ear. Anyone watching would have though he was warning her to behave or she would be sorry, but the conversation was much more interesting than that.

"Listen, this is the worst idea ever and we're probably both going to get killed, but if we're going to have a chance you need to follow the plan exactly." She nodded and took a deep breath, inhaling the rich scent of his leather coat. Terrifying situation aside she was enjoying the closeness of his body, something she had never experienced before in her young life.

"Once we get inside this building you unwrap your hands (they were only tied for show and weren't actually secure) and get behind something solid to protect yourself. Whatever you do, don't come out until I tell you. You got me?" He looked intently into her eyes and she nodded.

At that moment Dawes returned and he gave her a slap to the face to cover any suspicion.

"Let's go girlie." Dawes said grabbing for Sunny's arm, but Mason yanked her back.

"One last thing," he said, nose to nose with the Powder Ganger "No damaging the goods, and I get to watch."

"You are one filthy bastard" said Dawes "but whatever man." He led them into the building and had just shut the door behind them when he felt the barrel of the big .44 magnum press against the base of his skull. The sensation only lasted a second and was the last thing Dawes would ever feel.

There was a dusty countertop curving off to the right side of the door and further into the room were several tables and chairs at which more Powder Gangers were seated. Sunny dropped the rope and vaulted over the counter crouching behind it while Mason fired off several more rounds into the stunned prisoners before they could arm themselves. A Powder Ganger backed around the end of the counter and was just taking aim at Mason with a .38 pistol when he was distracted by Sunny kicking his legs out from under him. The following punch to the gut made him drop his gun and she finished him off with a blow to the head from the butt of his own weapon.

Sunny peered around the counter to see a slightly unexpected sight. Another prisoner in a black cowboy hat with a scruffy beard was actually helping Mason fight off the remaining two guards. As the last body hit the floor, the ranger turned to the prisoner and spoke.

"Sheriff Meyers?" he asked lowering his .44 slightly.

"That would be me" the man confirmed "Former Sheriff Meyers."

"I'm Ranger Mason with the NCR." Mason said "I'm glad it's you or I would have to kill you now."

"Well that goes for the both of us."

"Sunny, you alright?" Mason looked over at her, taking in the bloody butt of the .38 pistol in her hand, and the body at her feet. "I guess so." He smiled and turned back to Meyers.

"Help us clear out the rest of these criminals and I can promise you it will be _Sheriff_ Meyers again."

"Sounds like a deal ranger." Meyers extended a hand and they shook over the blood splattered floor.

The rest of the prison was cleared out well before sunrise, with most of the Powder Gangers choosing to fight to the death rather than to surrender. Sunny was glad. She could not find any mercy in her heart for the animals who had destroyed her town. They parted ways with Meyers at the front gate with a promise to see him again when he was settled in Primm as the new sheriff. As they made their way back over the southern ridge, they found Cheyenne waiting at their camp exactly as they had left her.

"Well?" Sunny asked "Where to now?"

"I suppose I need to report back to headquarters and give them a mission update." Mason said "And I still think you should come with me."

"_I suppose_ I don't have anywhere else to go, so let's hit the trail." Sunny picked up her pack and set off to the south towards Mojave Outpost. She wasn't sure where Camp Golf was exactly, but she knew they couldn't go East into Quarry Junction. She whistled for Cheyenne and turned to see Mason following, coat turned right side out again, with the red eyes of his helmet glowing bright in the pre-dawn gloom.

*** Reviews are appreciated as well as story hook suggestions. Thanks for reading***


	3. Chapter 3

Sunny squinted and looked up at the sunrise through the soaring supports of the roller coaster outside the Bison Steve Casino. Easy Pete had once told her about the strange structure, but she always half thought he was making it up. Who would put a train in the sky? Especially one that went nowhere. She supposed it would make a good shooting vantage point, but beyond that, it was a rotting death trap. Turning around, Sunny considered the rest of Primm with an equally critical eye.

The Vikki and Vance Casino was interesting, but loud and flashy, and filled with weird stuff. The flying robot that buzzed back and forth through town playing music was fascinating until the tune became repetitive and annoying. And don't even get her started on that shifty eyed creep Beagle. The bottom line was that Sunny was a simple, small town, outdoor kind of gal, and she hoped that Mason would be ready to leave soon.

Mason must have noticed her looking bored because he broke off from speaking to Lieutenant Hayes and walked over. "You should have been here when I came through the first time." He said "Lawless degenerates everywhere and only one so-called deputy to keep the peace. Looks like Meyers has his work cut out for him." He nodded over at the sheriff who was addressing the citizens of his newly appointed jurisdiction.

"How-dee-do folks, I'm Sheriff Meyers." He maintained a stony expression, showing no emotion, and continued. "Be good, or I'll shoot you dead." Meyers tipped his black cowboy hat to the crowd and walked away.

"Well, that about sums it up I suppose." Mason couldn't help but crack a tiny smile, but he was quick to cover it up as he turned to Sunny. "Shall we?" he motioned to the South, out of town and towards Mojave Outpost. Sunny nodded and hoisted her pack, whistling for Cheyenne to follow.

Jackal Gang leader Crank, and his henchmen Gnaw and Buckets were huddled together against the south side wall of the Nevada Highway Patrol Station waiting. They were filthy, foul-smelling, and all had various ticks and twitches, a result of cerebral degeneration caused by cannibalism. The group had been attacking travelers along I-15 for weeks now, but had apparently escaped the notice of NCR authorities so far by being very adept at _cleaning up_ after themselves and leaving no trace of their gruesome activities.

It had been a few days since their last raid and their rations were no longer fresh, so they were setting up to ambush the next passers-by that came along. Crank bobbed back and forth like a boxer, wielding a large butcher knife in his hand as he kept an eye on the horizon for anyone approaching their lair. Gnaw and Buckets were a little way behind him, arguing over who got first pick at their upcoming meal, and he was about to turn and tell them to shut up when he saw the distant figures making their way along I-15, one with a long coat billowing in the hot desert air. Crank snapped his grubby fingers and pointed emphatically towards the road, getting the attention of the other two. He tightened his grip on the butcher knife and his mouth started watering at the thought of fresh meat.

Sunny had pegged Mason as a man of few words shortly after they first met, but now that there was nothing to do but walk and no plans to make in the process, the silence was even more profound. His eyes were always focused on the horizon in front of them, the ridge to their right, or the flats to their left, but any thoughts he had about their surroundings he kept to himself. He didn't seem to be humorless, (she had seen his grin at the sheriff's speech) just contemplative. Sunny had considered herself a pretty outgoing and friendly individual before the attack on Goodsprings, but she had lost some of her _joie de vivre _of late, and so was content with the passing quiet for now, although an occasional companionable word would not have been unwelcomed.

They were approaching a decrepit looking, square building on the west side of the crumbling pavement. There were several rusting car shells outside and a swath of green graffiti across the front doors of the building that proclaimed "FUCK YOU."

"Seems legit." Mason mumbled, unslinging his rifle and adjusting his walking path to the east in order to give the building a wider berth. Sunny took a hint and raised her own weapon to a more ready position, dropping a little further behind the ranger in a tactical spread. The honey mesquite tree at the far corner of the building shuddered slightly as they got closer, and a moment later three ragged looking figures burst from their hiding place and rushed at them. Sunny's first shot missed the charging Jackal on the right and her gun jammed. Crank continued to rush forward at an alarming rate as she struggled to work the bolt action on the varmint rifle.

Mason's first shot was on target and a .50 caliber dose of lead assured that Gnaw would not be eating any more travelers. He swung the gun barrel around just in time to fire a second shot at the equally unfortunate Bucket, whose body slid to a bloody stop just inches from the Ranger's boots. He started to turn back to help Sunny, but by this time Crank had closed with his target.

Cheyenne leapt forward to defend her owner and clamped her jaws down on Crank's leg, pulling him sideways just enough so that the swing of the knife missed Sunny's throat. The Jackal was reversing his swing for a slash at the dog when his head suddenly ceased to exist in a fine spray of blood and tissue. When Sunny realized the threat was over, she looked at Mason to thank him for saving both of their lives, but the ranger was not looking at her. He had his hand to his eyes and was scanning the ridge above, knowing that he had not fired that last shot. About 200 yards south and slightly above, he saw what he had been looking for. An impossibly pale face behind dark glasses, and a rifle scope, topped by a brown cowboy hat.

"Ghost" he said quietly to himself, shaking his head in amused relief and then raising a hand in salute to their unlooked-for savior.

"You ok Sunny?" he asked

"Yeah, we're ok." She replied, hugging her dog and trying to wipe the gore off her fur. "Who was that?"

"A friend" he replied simply. "Let's go. It's not far to the outpost and we need to get you a better gun."

Sunny was more than a little curious now, but when she looked back up the ridge to try to catch another glimpse of the shooter, the pale face was gone. She could only hope that Mason would fill her in later. Her highest priority at the moment was a bath.


	4. Chapter 4

Passing under the enormous metal figures towering over I-15, Sunny mentioned to Mason that the one on the right with its long coat and distinctive helmet looked a little like him. He grunted in a sarcastic way that said '_never heard that one before'_, and continued into the razor wired enclosure of Mojave Outpost. Sunny looked around, taking in the different buildings and watching the groups of people and brahmin milling around. Everyone had a sour expression and an air of pent up frustration. Mason passed through a sandbag reinforced gateway and started up a rickety looking wooden ramp that lead up to the roof of one of the buildings. As they ascended, Mason began speaking in a loud and deep voice, like someone reciting poetry.

"I lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help."

At the top, a lone figure seated in a rusty chair behind a wall of sandbags turned to look at them. Ranger Ghost doffed her sunglasses, her albino skin even more striking up close, and smiled crookedly at Mason.

"Well, if it isn't the biggest, baddest hombre to ever walk the wastes." Ghost stood and swaggered over to Mason, greeting him with a fraternal clap on the shoulder. She was about two feet shorter than him and he responded by resting his arm on top of her head, jamming her cowboy hat down over her brows.

"Little sister, you know that you are tougher than all the other rangers put together. That's why they stuck you out here in the ass end of nowhere. To keep the rest of us from looking bad."

Ghost slapped his arm away and readjusted her hat, then offered a hand to Sunny.

"Ghost" she said "and don't believe a word this guy says."

Sunny smiled and introduced herself.

"I guess I have you to thank for saving my life back there on I-15"

Ghost tried to look confused and replied loudly, "I have no idea what you're talking about. I've been at my post _all day_." She emphasized the last two words with an exaggerated wink at Sunny and Mason. She then added in a hurried whisper. "Sergeant Kilborn covered for me. Jackson wouldn't listen when I asked to go investigate the rumors I had heard about missing travelers on the way to Primm. So what if I _may_ have taken an extra-long lunch break today." She shrugged and turned back to her post, calling back over her shoulder. "You know where I am if you need me Alec." Mason saluted and ushered Sunny back down the ramp.

Mason met with Ranger Jackson inside the headquarters building to fill him in on the Nevada Highway Patrol Station situation, conveniently leaving out the parts of the story pertaining to Ghost. Jackson was gruffly grateful to them for clearing out the Jackals and offered them lodging in the barracks for the night. Mason excused himself and told Sunny he would meet back up with her a little later.

Later that evening Sunny sat on the ground watching the sun sink in line with the vanishing point of I-15. She had managed to give herself and Cheyenne a cold rinse from one of the slimy water troughs normally reserved for the caravan animals. Brahmin backwash was no joke, but it was better than blood and brains. More satisfactory was the hot meal she got from Lacey at the barracks bar, but she didn't really feel like hanging out next to a bunch of drunken, bored, and irate caravanners. She took her meal back out to the far western side of the outpost where she could look out on California.

The horizon was glowing in a rainbow of fiery color, and she closed her eyes, imagining that she could actually feel the shades of the sunset rolling across her face. She smiled, and the warmth seemed to spread from her mouth, down the sides of her neck and into her entire body, giving her a sense of peace. When she opened her eyes, she was a little surprised, but not displeased, to see Ranger Mason sitting next to her. He was looking out at the swiftly disappearing sun too, and didn't offer any conversation at first, but once the last sliver of light was gone, he spoke.

"I know today was another bad day for you, so I wanted to make sure that you wanted to keep going."

He was trying not to sound judgmental, but he knew that she had recently suffered a huge personal loss through violence, and then had twice been in violent encounters since joining up with him. She seemed tough, but he had no idea what was going on inside her mind, and he knew that the Mojave wasn't going to get any nicer between here and Camp Golf.

Sunny contemplated for a moment, not sure what to say. Her first reaction was one of dismay, fearing that he would leave her behind. She knew she had screwed up in their encounter with the Jackals, missing her shot and not reloading fast enough. Mason likely didn't want the responsibility of looking out for her and possibly watching her die due to her own stupidity.

"I understand if you don't want me along. I messed up today, but I have nowhere else to go." She tried to keep the pleading out of her voice. "I've been used to picking off geckos and the occasional bark scorpion, and I have no real experience against the real dangerous stuff out there, but if you're willing to give me another chance, I'd like to stay with you."

Mason nodded and replied.

"In that case you should have this." He handed over a new rifle, a shiny .308 with a scope and a glossy redwood stock, a far better weapon than her old varmint gun. "I convinced Jackson to part with a little surplus equipment."

"Well that's the nicest thing anyone has ever gotten me." She chuckled as though it were a joke, but she actually meant it. She hadn't been on the receiving end of many presents in her life. "Thank you."

Mason didn't laugh though, and looked very serious when he continued speaking.

"Well I guess you could say it's an investment." He stood and brushed the dust off his coat. "The way things work out here is this. You learn to take care of your own ass, and then if you're lucky enough one day you find someone else who is willing to share the responsibility. That's how it is with the rangers. We all learn to be the absolute baddest thing on two, four, or six legs in wasteland because we have to be. We work alone most of the time, but it helps to know that somewhere out there in this hell hole there is another scope on another rifle, or another cylinder on another pistol, and another bear patch on the shoulder of another ranger ready to do whatever it takes to save your ass if they can."

"Are you offering to train me to be a ranger?" Sunny was a little shocked, never having considered herself a candidate for military life, let alone something as elite as a ranger.

"I'm saying I see potential in you, and I don't want to see it go to waste. Your strategy with the Powder Gangers, while unconventional, was extremely effective, and you stood your ground with the Jackals even when faced with the imminent threat of death. There's the small problem that you aren't even an NCR soldier, but I've done more unorthodox things in my tenure so that's the least of our problems. I'm willing to give it a try if it's what you want."

Sunny thought she would be stupid to turn down his offer. At the very least it would give her a purpose. Something to work towards. She nodded to herself and reached out to take Mason's offered hand up.

"Okay" she said simply, brushing off her own collection of Mojave sand and slinging her new rifle across her back.

"Good" said Mason "Hit the barracks and get some sleep. I'll see you bright and early tomorrow morning."

Hours later, when the moon had risen high over the unification statue, Mason sat on the roof of the barracks with his legs stretched out, back propped against the low sandbag wall, and eyes closed in a state of semi-sleep. Ranger Ghost stood next to him at her post, eyes mostly fixed on the road, but occasionally drifting down to where her brother ranger slept. She shook her head and sighed, shifting her weight to ease the ache from hours of standing.

His voice came suddenly out of the dark.

"Spit it out little sister. Your silence is deafening."

"I don't have to say anything Alec. You already know what I'm thinking."

"Yes, I suppose I do, but it won't be like last time. She's way smarter than my last recruit"

Ghost rolled her eyes and kicked him hard with the point of her boot.

"You're a dick, you know that?" Ghost had been his last recruit. "And you know damn well I'm thinking about Arizona."

Mason tilted his head up and gave her a full-on glare. "It won't be like that either."

"I sure as hell hope not, for your sake."


	5. Chapter 5

**Sorry for the delay on this chapter, but the beginning was VERY hard to write. Thanks for reading and remember that reviews and comments make me write faster! **

Mason woke her before first light, and even before most of the other soldiers in the barracks. She didn't complain or hesitate, knowing that discipline was very important in the military and not wanting to start her training on a bad note. Sunny gathered her meager belongings and met Mason in front of the outpost gate. Ghost was standing there next to him with her shades on even though it was still completely dark outside. She had a grim look on her face behind the glasses and looked away as Sunny approached.

"Are you ready?" Mason asked in a low voice.

She tried to sound confident when she answered in the affirmative, but she noticed that there seemed to be a tension in the air and Mason didn't make any move to start. Instead he glanced down at Cheyenne, who was sitting next to Sunny, and then said simply, "She has to stay."

"What?" Sunny was stunned and moved to stand protectively in front of her dog. "Why?"

"Because I need to teach you things she won't understand" he said with a sigh "Things like stealth…"

"Cheyenne can be quiet" Sunny interrupted

"Under stress? Even if you're in danger?" When she didn't answer Mason continued "We will have to go places she can't or shouldn't follow, like into radiation or underwater. Trust me that I wouldn't make you leave her behind if it wasn't absolutely necessary." He turned to Ghost and inclined his head.

"I'll take care of her for you" Ghost said, scratching the dog behind the ears "Just until you come back."

Sunny was silent for a long moment, her hand resting on Cheyenne's head. Mason waited and then spoke once more.

"You can always back out, if you've changed you mind about going." He said quietly "No one will blame you."

Sunny was horrified at the thought of leaving her best and only remaining friend behind, but she couldn't bear to go back on her word either. Mason was right about leaving her of course, and Cheyenne would be much safer here with Ranger Ghost than out in the wasteland. Who knew what kinds of nasty creatures they would find out there in desert. Certainly there were things much worse than geckos and raiders lurking in the Mojave.

Sunny crouched down, hugged her dog fiercely, then stood and wiped the tears from her eyes.

"Cheyenne, stay" she choked out, pointing at Ghost. Then she hoisted her pack on her shoulder and walked away without looking back.

The eastern sky was just turning a lighter shade of indigo as Sunny picked her way carefully along the side of Nipton Highway. Mason hadn't wasted any time before beginning her training, and he had first taught her to use the brush and shadows on the road side to break up her silhouette, making her a more difficult target for snipers. He had also taught her to carefully choose her path to avoid stepping on things that would make noise as she walked. Soft sand was quieter than gravel, pavement, or dried grass, and rolling your feet from heel to toe as you stepped made less noise. They had paused once so that she could repack her gear to stop jingling and clanking noises, and the difference in their overall sound production was unmistakable.

They took turns moving and covering each other as they went, like a silent game of leapfrog. Sunny tried to be as quiet as possible, but she couldn't even come close to Mason. For someone so large, the man moved as swiftly and silently as a wraith floating over the sand. Once he stopped moving, he seemed to vanish into thin air, blending in with the smallest cover. She learned to look for his subtle hand signals in the dark before moving, and to scan the entire horizon for threats, all while watching where she put her feet. It was exhausting work.

As the first pale rays of sunlight broke over the rocky hills to the east, a column of smoke could be seen rising from a cluster of buildings ahead. Mason, catching up from behind, stopped next to Sunny instead of moving forward.

"That's Nipton" he said "Ghost asked us to check it out on our way to Camp Golf." They were stopped at the ruins of a small brick building which provided cover from any watchful eyes, but the road past this point was barren, with nothing else to hide their approach in the brightening day.

"We can circle around to the north and come in behind those hills." Mason pointed off to their left and said "Let's double time it while we still have some shadow left." He started off at a jog and Sunny hurried to catch up to him.

Leaving their packs behind, they scaled the junk wall behind the town hall and dropped quietly into the dusty streets. The smoke billowed in huge black clouds from the center of town, and the red glow of flames flickered in the hot wind, accompanied by screams and groans of anguish. A loud voice called out numbers while bulky figures clad in red and silver passed down the main street in front of the town hall, dragging hysterical prisoners to an unknown fate. Large wooden crosses cast shadows of cruel judgement on the damned as they went. The smell of burning flesh made Sunny gag, but she forced the rising bile back down, covering her mouth with the collar of her undershirt.

Mason motioned for Sunny to wait in the alley as he crept closer to the grizzly scene. The progression of numbers and screams continued, accompanied by bursts of sickening laughter and shouts of 'Burn profligate!' and 'Hail Caesar!' After a brief moment the ranger returned and pulled at her sleeve, retreating back the way they had come.

"Nothing we can do here" he whispered, face set in a hard mask of indifference.

Sunny was indignant, as the screams of the tortured still echoed in her ears, but she followed, only looking back once to see the shadow of a coyote head rear up against the front of the town hall. She seethed with questions, but held her tongue until they were back outside the wall.

"Who were those people?" she hissed at him as they gathered their things.

"The Legion has come West of the Colorado" he said, slinging his rifle "The Fox is in the hen house."

"I don't understand. What is the Legion? What is going on in there," she pointed back at the smoking ruin of Nipton "and why aren't we doing anything about it?"

"The Legion are evil men from Arizona, and I didn't say we weren't going to do anything about it." He said coldly, "I said there was nothing we could do _here. _Double time recruit!" he ordered and started off again, circling the burning town and heading towards a narrow canyon to the East.

They passed over a set of ancient railroad tracks just before the canyon opening. Mason told Sunny to wait just inside the gap in the cliffs while he went a little ahead. After several minutes of waiting, she saw some movement back towards Nipton. It was full light now, and she was hidden in the shadow of the cliffs, but the distance was not great, and whatever was coming would not take long to reach her. Dust rose in a cloud under the tramping of many feet. Red and silver flashed in the sun as they marched onward towards an inevitable meeting. The Legion was approaching.


	6. Chapter 6

Sunny was beginning to panic when Mason appeared at her elbow without warning. She nearly screamed, but managed to silence herself in time. He looked towards Nipton and could see the approach of the Legion, their blood-red banner waving ominously in the hot wind of the Mojave.

"Hurry" he urged Sunny to follow, motioning for her to walk precisely behind him, using the same exact footsteps. They wove a twisting pattern into the canyon, staying on the crumbling pavement and avoiding a scattering of junk seemingly ejected from the back of an ancient wreck of a tractor trailer. Sunny fought the urge to look back to see if the Legion were following. Mason seemed to read her mind and said, "They won't catch us. They can't move as quickly in a large group."

After several hundred yards, around a bend in the road, Mason suddenly turned to the right and began to scale a less sheer portion of the canyon wall. As they climbed, Sunny could see a battered windmill and a rusting shack situated on the ridge above. They stopped when they reached the top and Mason motioned for her to take up a sniper position, facing back down the canyon.

"Shoot anything wearing red that makes it through that canyon" he ordered, adding for effect "Don't hesitate, because they wouldn't hesitate to shoot you, or worse."

She set her jaw and flexed her grip on the rifle to settle her nerves, taking a deep breath in and slowly letting it back out. The sound of first explosion made her jump and she almost pulled the trigger reflexively, but Mason laid a hand on her shoulder. "Frag mines" he said "Wait for a good target."

She settled again, and waited. Several more explosions followed accompanied by shouts and screams bouncing off the canyon walls. A flash of red rounded the corner and dropped almost instantly from a shot fired by the Ranger. Two more Legion fell in an identical fashion before a group of six appeared at once. The central figure wore a coyote head as a helmet and was shouting orders at the others. Sunny had taken a shot at one on the right flank while Mason focused on the left. Her shot must have struck the Legionnaire in the leg because he staggered and fell sideways, landing on another of Mason's hidden mines. A huge cloud of dust sprang up, followed by a loud rumble as huge boulders fell from the cliffs above. When the dust cleared, they saw that the canyon was now blocked completely by rock, the only sign of the enemy that remained was a coyote skin lying in the road next to a broken and tattered Legion banner.

"We need to hurry on to warn the NCR that the Legion had moved into Nevada." Mason turned and started off down the Northern slope away from the wreckage. At the far end of the canyon they joined back up with the broken railroad line and continued North until they arrived at a small compound surrounded by walls of broken concrete and stacks of rotting tires, topped by a tall radio tower. A worn sign in front, emblazoned with the red, white, and green flag of the New California Republic read RANGER STATION CHARLIE.

There was no one on guard, and they simply walked in the open front gate. Comm Officer Stepinac snapped to attention as Mason entered the small ranger station.

"Ranger Mason, Sir." He stammered, while offering a crisp salute "It's an honor to have you here."

Mason returned the salute and looked around pointedly. "Where the hell are the rangers, Stepinac? Where is Beaumont?"

"Out on patrol, Sir. Ranger Beaumont said he needed to investigate reports of supposed Legion activity on this side of the Colorado and left me in charge." By the tone of Stepinac's voice, Sunny could tell that he thought the idea of Legion in the area was ludicrous. Mason soon disillusioned him with the story of what had happened at Nipton.

"Shit…" the comm officer whispered in horror, "Sir, Ranger Beaumont…he's been gone too long…" Stepinac trailed off, not wanting to finish the thought.

"Sunny, stay here and man the lookout over the station until I get back. You know what to do if you see any Legion. Stepinac, call this in to Camp Golf and get some reinforcements down here on the double, then you get your ass outside and cover my recruit. Got it?"

Stepinac nodded and Mason rushed back out the door without any further orders, leaving Sunny and the comm officer staring at each other, a heavy sense of dread filling the room.

It was about two hours hour later, but it seemed like years. The sun was hot and Sunny was growing tired of the comm officer and his nervous pacing while she sat atop a rusted-out trailer, scanning the horizon through her scope. He rambled on and on about how much he had wanted to be a ranger when he was a kid, and how tough rangers had to be. It was almost like he was suggesting that she didn't have what it takes.

"Before you get your Ranger badge, you've got to prove you can be quieter than a shadow and more ferocious than a Deathclaw." He prattled on, looking her up and down.

"I'm working on it" she muttered to herself, tightening her grip on her rifle to keep her hands from going around Stepinac's neck instead. He started to say something else, but he was shushed by Sunny who had seen something move in the distance to the East. The image shimmered in the heat like a mirage, but gradually materialized into three vertical figures.

"Shit!" Stepinac cried, seeing a flash of red cloth flap in the wind. "Legion raiding party!" he fumbled with his own rifle, working the bolt action unnecessarily, causing the chambered round to jam in the ejection port.

Sunny hadn't moved, but waited until she had a better view of the approaching squad, which now appeared to be four in number, with the fourth being carried on a litter made from a red cloak and two wooden poles. The tallest figure had on a red goggled helmet.

"Stepinac, shut up!" Sunny yelled at the panicking soldier. "It's Ranger Mason, and he has someone with him who's injured. Go help them while I cover you from here." Stepinac hesitated, but sprang into action when Sunny kicked him in the shin and screamed at him to move.

A minute later the party staggered into the compound, Mason leading two ragged civilians in tattered clothing carrying between them the broken body of a Ranger. Stepinac, seemingly recovered from his terror, followed in behind them, covering their retreat.

Ranger Beaumont was carried into the barracks and laid down upon a bunk. He looked terrible; covered in cuts and bruises, his uniform soaked in sweat and blood. Mason cut off the ruined armor with his combat knife and began treating the wounds while giving orders to bring various supplies. The two civilians stood still in shock until Mason commanded them to follow the railroad further north into Novac, where they would find a doctor named Ada Straus. They only hesitated for a second until the ranger turned and pointed the knife at them, promising to _'revoke their rescued status permanently_' if they didn't do as he said.

He continued to work while Sunny assisted him, Stepinac having been sent back outside to stand guard. As surprisingly short time later, a woman in a blood splattered tank top entered the room, bringing a doctor's bag with her. The civilians were nowhere to be seen. Presumably having fled after delivering the doc. Ada Straus started forward, but Mason stopped her.

"Just hand over the bag Ada, we both know your medical skills are questionable at best."

Ada rolled her eyes, but didn't resist handing over her bag of supplies. She stood there and picked at an assortment of suspicious sores on her arms while Mason hung a bag of saline and started an IV on Beaumont, injecting the line with various chems. The injured ranger moaned at the needle stick, but soon after he drifted off into a chem induced sleep, after which Mason began stitching his many wounds.

"Sunny, start dabbing this antiseptic on those while I finish up."

She did as he asked, and watched amazed as he treated the injured man with all the skill she had ever seen out of Doc Mitchell back home in Goodsprings. When he was done, he dropped the bag and a collection of caps in the outstretched hands of Ada Straus. She looked dubiously at him until he rummaged in a foot locker and added the resulting bottle of whisky to the payment.

"That should cover it." She grinned and hurried out the door, breaking the seal on the bottle as she went.

The first round of chems were wearing off and Ranger Beaumont began to come around. His eyes tried to focus on Mason, but closed again as a wave of pain crashed over him.

"Alec?" he called out to Mason, who took his hand and squeezed gently.

"I'm here Joe" his voice was soft and low, as he reassured his injured friend. "Tell me what happened if you can."

"We heard rumors about…Legion…West of the river." His speech was broken, interrupted by pain, and he coughed and spit up small amounts of blood which Sunny wiped away with a damp cloth. "Slavers they said…you know…"

"Yes, I know."

"We went out to look…didn't get far…Legion with slaves." He coughed again "Too many…rangers all dead…tied me up…gift for Caesar." Beaumont grunted and strained, gasping for breath. Mason pushed him back against the mattress and reached for the IV to administer more chems, but Beaumont grasped his arm.

"Wait…the leader"

"I already took care of that." Mason tried to reassure him.

"No!" the injured man insisted "Arrived after the fight with us was over…Left before you came…face was scarred like he had been burned." Mason felt a chill creep up his spine. "They called him Vulpes…The Fox."

_**UH OH! Vulpes not as crushed as we had hoped. Reviews please!**_


	7. Chapter 7

They stayed at Ranger Station Charlie until reinforcements arrived. The new rangers came directly from Camp Golf, and while they had been reluctant to believe the reports of Legion presence West of the Colorado, they had immediately reconsidered when they saw the state of affairs at the post. Mason gave a full report to the others, explaining how he had gone looking for the missing rangers and found the site of the recent battle, four dead rangers and twice as many dead Legion, but no Beaumont. Then how he had found their camp, and finished off the remaining enemy soldiers before freeing the two slaves and rescuing the Ranger.

Beaumont was recovering slowly, but surely, and was eager to get back in uniform, though the other Rangers forced him to rest.

"I know you will be going after those bastards who killed my men, Mason." He argued "I want to be there to make them pay!" Beaumont's face contorted in rage and grief as he slammed a fist weakly into the palm of the opposite hand.

"I know Joe, but I'm going to Camp Golf first. We need to plan and find out the extent of Caesar's operation before we act, besides that my recruit needs more training before she's ready for a mission of that caliber." He reassured his friend that he would come back for him when it was time.

Beaumont looked disbelieving at Mason, but added simply "You kill that bastard twice for me, Mason."

Alec squeezed his hand and walked away.

Sunny had been practicing shooting mole rats with one of the other rangers when Mason told her to get ready to move out. She had been anticipating this order ever since the reinforcements had arrived and so was ready to leave almost immediately.

They followed the railroad North again, completely bypassing the town of Novac and its huge green dinosaur. They continued moving swiftly past a small junkyard, a huge solar power plant, and a decaying service station before turning East. Mason told her that he intended to stop off at another ranger station, Station Delta this time, before moving on to Camp Golf. He wanted to get a better view of any Legion activity on the river, and this station was very close to the Colorado.

It was late, close to midnight, but they pushed on, wanting to make the station on this march. Sunny was growing very tired, and was having difficulty keeping her eyes open when Mason stopped suddenly in the trail just in front of her. Sunny was instantly alert, and in the dark ahead she thought she could see moving shapes. She blinked her eyes to clear her vision, and could hear a faint rustling noise coming from several directions.

Mason stepped backwards, an involuntary and uncharacteristic movement of retreat. His eyes darted from side to side, wide with alarm, ears straining to hear the terrible sound he knew was out there. It was the buzzing of a hundred large, transparent wings, flapping angrily in the warm night air. They had stumbled upon a huge cazador nest. Cazadores were giant wasps, fast as lightning and just as lethal.

"Run!" Mason yelled as the cloud of deadly insects descended from all around them, "Don't fight, just run for you life!" He set off, hoping that she heard and followed his order, knowing that he could do nothing to help her or even himself except to get away. Seconds later Mason discovered an interesting fact about his recruit. She was fast. Sunny whipped past him like he was standing still, her long brown hair streaming out behind her, having fallen loose from its bun. She bounded like an antelope, and soon left him behind, only stopping when she reached the sudden edge of a precipice. She barely caught herself from falling into the Colorado River far below, and she stood gasping for breath for just a moment before she began to wonder what had happened to Mason. The answer to this question came in the form of a bellowing, charging behemoth that careened into her from the path behind.

Still pursued by the angry hoard, Mason didn't pause, but launched them both over the edge of the canyon until gravity took over and pulled them down towards the muddy waters below. They hit with a tremendously painful splash and immediately began to sink under the weight of their gear. Mason struck bottom and groped around for Sunny in the dark of the rushing water. Grasping at her armor, he pulled her pack away and released it into oblivion. He did the same with her rifle and his own long gun and pack. He then kicked with all his strength, pulling her along to break the surface for a brief gasp of air before they were again sucked down into the black. This time he managed to shed his duster and his boots before making one more push back up and out. He swam with one powerful arm, holding Sunny with the other, and struggled to the side of the river, launching her out onto the sandy bank.

Sunny coughed up spurts of foul river water and gasped in deep draughts of air as she crawled further away from the rushing current. Mason rolled onto his side and retched, the Colorado still tugged at his feet, but he was too exhausted to move. He shut his eyes and gave in to oblivion.

It was only moments later, but it seemed like hours when he woke to the sound of voices overhead.

"Man, I'll tell you whut Petey." One voice said, with a thick hillbilly accent "That was the craziest shee-it I ever did see out in this here mo-jah-vay."

"That's because you don't get out much, Ducky." Said a second voice, deeper and smoother than the first.

Mason groaned and rolled over to find himself staring up at two NCR troopers.

"Ranger? You ok?" the deeper voice asked, as Mason struggled to sit up. The two troopers reached down to help him to his feet and one offered him a canteen.

"Thanks boys, but I think I've had enough water."

The first trooper chuckled. "Shoot Ranger, 'taint water, but good ole rye whiskey. Just like pappy used to make." He winked and offered the flask again. Mason took a swig of the burning liquor and coughed, but felt better as the alcohol gave off an illusory sense of warmth that radiated out over his entire body.

"I'm Trooper Mallard, but most just calls me Ducky. Over yonder is Trooper 'Petey' Peterson." Ducky pointed to the other Trooper, who was helping Sunny sit up and offering her a drink from the flask. "That was a fancy swan dive you took. Surprised that you and the little lady made it."

"We found your duster tangled in the bracken downstream a ways, but I'm afraid your other gear is gone." said Trooper Peterson apologetically. "When you're ready, we will take you up to Station Delta and we might be able to find some surplus lying around."

Mason shook hands with both troopers and thanked them. He had managed somehow to hang on to his .44 magnum, but the loss of his sniper rifle and all of the other gear was quite a blow. He had no one to blame but himself though. He should have detected the cazadores before they had gotten that close. Barefoot and brooding he followed along behind Troopers Mallard and Peterson, the later of which was helping Sunny limp along the path, her ankle apparently sprained in the fall.

They were alive, yes, but maybe he was losing his touch.


	8. Chapter 8

Seated on a rickety Sunset Sarsaparilla Crate, Sunny winced as Trooper Peterson wrapped a bandage tightly around her ankle. She was dressed in a spare uniform he had scrounged for her, but it was hopelessly large. She was lucky enough to still have her boots after their swim in the Colorado River, but the left one didn't fit at the moment due to the swelling from her sprain. Her foot had gotten stuck under the edge of a boulder while underwater and it had been wrenched painfully when Mason pulled her to the surface. She didn't blame him of course, since if he hadn't, she would likely have drowned. Besides, he was in a foul enough mood as it was. She wasn't sure, but she thought he might be mad at her for bringing the cazadores down on them. He hadn't said this, but she couldn't think of another reason for him to be angry. She hadn't had a chance to ask him either because once they had reached Ranger Station Delta, Mason had almost immediately disappeared into the gully that led back towards the river with Ranger Pason, deep in conversation.

Peterson finished with the bandage and offered Sunny a hand to help her up.

"I laid your armor out to dry, but you can wear that extra uniform until then." He helped her limp over to a cot in the corner of the comm tent. She was exhausted and grateful for the chance to lie down. "Get some rest, I'll wake you when Ranger Mason comes back."

Sunny woke hours later with the sun glaring at her from the open tent flap. She stretched her legs and was rewarded with a throb of pain from her foot. Her grunt made Comm Officer Scheffer swivel in her seat. She glared at Sunny with a look of reproach, as though the small sound had disrupted her concentration on the faint squeaks and squalls emitting from the NCR radio.

"Morning" she grumbled, turning back to her console dismissively. "Coffee" she added, pointing at a steaming, silver pot and a chipped mug on the table.

"Thanks" Sunny replied, helping herself to a cup of the bitter liquid. "Where's…

"Ranger Mason is gone." came the flat answer to her unfinished question, but not from Scheffer. The figure of Ranger Pason cast a large shadow in the doorway of the tent. Sunny couldn't see his expression with the sun behind him, so there was no way to interpret this news other that as a simple fact. She didn't have time to ask any clarifying questions either, because Ranger Pason proceeded to order her to attention, something Mason had never yet done. She grimaced as her unbooted and still sore foot hit the ground and supported her full weight. She did the best she could to straighten her spine and shoulders, but it didn't seem to impress the ranger.

"Pretty sloppy recruit" he grunted, circling her like a shark "Obviously Ranger Mason has been letting you get away with this lackadaisical posture, but under my command I expect better."

Sunny tried to stand even straighter, raising her chin and locking her knees. She was still confused and bursting at the seams to ask what was happening, and where Mason had gone, but the little she knew of military matters told her to keep her mouth shut unless she was told to speak.

"Well?" Pason bellowed, right in her face and she blurted out the only response that seemed correct.

"Sir, Yes Sir!"

"Well that's better." He said, scrutinizing every inch of her ragged, dirty armor and her bare feet. "From now on you will rise at 0600 hours, and stand at attention until 0800. Then you will drill in the compound with the Troopers until you are relieved. Is that understood?"

"Sir, Yes Sir!" she shouted again, wondering, not for the first time, what she had gotten herself into.

As soon as Sunny managed to jam her boots on, Troopers Peterson and Mallard began instructing her in the intricacies of parade drill. It was sweltering hot, painful, and ridiculous. Who would actually march around in such a pompous manner, in full view of any enemy, just waiting to get picked off by a sniper's bullet? What purpose did it serve?

At least the troopers had a sense of humor, cracking jokes about Ranger Pason under their breath when they were sure he couldn't hear them. When she managed to ask about Mason's whereabouts, she found that the Troopers were just as stumped as she was. They only thing they knew was that he had gone back towards the river with just his pistol, combat knife, and an NCR emergency radio borrowed from Pason.

Sunny was utterly exhausted when she was finally dismissed to the comm tent for chow and bed. Scheffer, while still gruffly silent, took pity on her and brought her a hot meal of canned pork and beans, topped with a few chunks of grilled bighorner meat. Sitting on her bunk while finishing her meal, Sunny tried to engage the comm officer in conversation. Since Mason had taken a radio, maybe she would know where he had gone.

"So uh…" she began hesitantly, "Do you know anything about…" but she was cut off by a sharp look from Scheffer, and a hand motion that obviously meant _shut up_. Sunny huffed a little, tired of this treatment, but a moment later Scheffer said in a louder voice, "Look recruit, I know I'm the comms officer, but I've got better things to do than help you with your radio codes. Just shut up and eat."

A second later the sand outside crunched under the boots of Ranger Pason. Sunny jumped to attention and stood silently as he entered the tent.

"Did you have an instructive day recruit?"

"Sir, Yes Sir!"

"Good, I'm glad you enjoyed it because there is more where that came from." He didn't sound as if he was really glad. More like he was determined to make her suffer. "Hit the rack recruit." he ordered and turned to leave. Sunny did as she was told, not having any trouble falling asleep from sheer exhaustion even though she was still worried about Mason.

In the still hours of the night she was awakened by a hand over her mouth and a fierce whisper in her ear.

"Just shut up and listen," Comms Officer Scheffer hissed "Pason sent Ranger Mason over to the Legion side of the river to spy on one of their camps, but I think it might be a set up." Sunny's eyes widened, but she said nothing as Scheffer drew away her hand. "There have been lots of strange, inconsistent reports lately. Almost like there is a traitor in the NCR disrupting communications. I don't have any proof and I haven't heard anything from Mason on the radio yet, so we have to wait and play along with Pason and his bullshit, but I want you to be ready if he needs help." She indicated pack on the ground by the cot, with Sunny's cleaned and mended armor lying on top. "I'm going to get Peterson to hide these down by the river on our side along with a rifle for you. If I give you the signal to leave, wait until you can slip away unnoticed, take the gully down to the water and then look for a cluster of buffalo gourd vines on the left side of the trail. The gear will be hidden there." Sunny nodded that she understood. "None of us will be able to help you, you understand that right? We will have to stay here and keep up appearances until you get back with Mason so he can take care of this bastard." She nodded and Scheffer drew away silently to her own cot on the opposite side of the tent. Sunny closed her eyes to try to sleep again, but she lay awake until morning, listening for the sounds of treachery in the dark.

**Author's Note: So, I Hadn't thought about the name of the head ranger at Station Delta when I named Mason, sorry for the rhyming effect. I hope it wasn't too distracting. It's driving me crazy, but nothing I can do about it now. Ha ha ha! Onward!**


End file.
